


Slice of Life snippets

by katling



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-03
Updated: 2015-01-17
Packaged: 2018-02-27 23:50:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2711234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katling/pseuds/katling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>These are just some random slice of life snippets in the life of my human mage Inquisitor Jeremy Trevelyan and Dorian Pavus. I have no idea how many there will be but I imagine I’ll write more since I adore this romance. Right now it’s rated teen and up but that may well change. I do have a history of writing smutty smut. :D I'll update this summary if the rating changes.</p><p>ETA: Okay, I've changed the rating to Mature because I'm starting to get a little risque. I blame Iron Bull. :D</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The 'someone gets sick' trope is an oldy but a goody so I thought I'd start with that one. Poor Dorian. 
> 
> I’m going to say that when they head out, the Inquisitor actually does take everyone in his Inner Circle because why recruit someone like the Iron Bull and leave him at Skyhold just because you can’t take everyone with you. Besides there’s more opportunity for fun with everyone there. Sadly however I seem to have left Cole out. Which may be his fault. He made me forget.
> 
> Oh, and about Vivienne – I know she’s not the most popular character with many people and frankly she’s not mine either but if you’ve done her personal quest with the wyvern’s heart and done it with the proper wyvern’s heart, you’ll understand why she might take illness seriously. My heart ached for her at that point.

Jeremy gave an audible sigh of relief when the gates of Skyhold came into view and then laughed when the sigh was echoed by everyone else. A couple of weeks stomping around in the rain and mud and damp of the Storm Coast followed by the trip back through the freezing cold and snow of the Frostback Mountains and they were all about ready to collapse. Preferably into a hot bath and then a warm bed.

“Ah, good to be home,” the Iron Bull said expansively. He then echoed Jeremy’s thoughts. “I’m about ready for a beer, bath and bed. And not necessarily in that order.”

Jeremy glanced over his shoulder and the comment he’d been about to make got diverted. “How are you not freezing, Bull?”

The huge Qunari was as bare-chested as he ever was and he made Jeremy shiver just to look at him.

“It’s a bit nippy,” Bull admitted. “Pity Solas couldn’t find a giant castle by the beach instead of up here in the mountains.”

“I’ll try and do better next time,” the elven mage said dryly. “Just for you, Bull.”

The Iron Bull laughed heartily and Jeremy thought Solas was lucky they were all mounted and Bull was riding ahead of the elf, otherwise he’d have been on the receiving end of one of Bull’s enthusiastic but punishing friendly wallops on the shoulder. They were always welcome but you did risk ending up face first on the ground if you didn’t brace yourself.

“I’ll just settle for some clean dry clothes,” Cassandra said with a wrinkle of her nose as she picked at a rust spot on her armour. They’d all been treated to her irritated rant at camp a few nights ago when she’d first found it. The unrelenting damp of the Storm Coast had worn out not only them but their armour and clothes.

“Oooh, hot toddy,” Sera said dreamily.

“Hot tea,” Vivienne countered, for once without the usual antagonism that existed between the two women.

“Ugh, not the tea,” Solas said with a shudder of distaste and Jeremy snickered as he remembered Solas’ reaction to the tea.

“I’ll second the hot toddy,” Blackwall said with a grin as Sera let out a comical cheer.

“I’ll third it,” Varric added.

“What about you, Dorian?” Jeremy said, turning in his saddle to look at his lover. When he did, he gave a start of surprise that momentarily confused his horse. When he’d gotten the beast under control, he took another look at Dorian.

The Tevinter mage looked utterly miserable. Like the rest of the men in the group, he had an uncharacteristic growth of stubble on his face since, by mutual unspoken accord, they hadn’t lingered at any of their camps over the last few days in their eagerness to get back to Skyhold, his moustache was actually drooping and unkempt and he looked pale and appeared to be sweating despite the cold.

Jeremy was absolutely certain Dorian hadn’t looked like that this morning but he’d be the first to admit that they’d left camp well before first light.

Dorian opened his mouth to reply but before he could, he was overcome by a fit of sneezes and then a deep bout of coughing.

“Dorian?” Jeremy said worriedly, reigning in his horse.

Vivienne beat him to it and she pulled her horse alongside Dorian’s and reached over to touch the other mage’s forehead with the back of her hand. “Fever,” she said. She placed her hand under Dorian’s chin and turned his face towards her and looked at him closely. “He’s quite sick, my dear Inquisitor. It’s best if we get him home as quickly as possible. I have a potion or two that will do him some good.”

“I’m quite alright. There’s no need to fuss,” Dorian said, batting at Vivienne’s hand. His hoarse voice gave the lie to that though.

“Nonsense,” Vivienne said as Jeremy reigned in his horse on the other side of Dorian. “An illness like this can be quite serious if you don’t treat it right away.” She seemed very intense about this and garnered more than a few quiet looks for it, though Sera’s expression of dubious surprise was somewhat less than subtle. Their First Enchanter was not one they’d have picked to be the caring type when someone was sick. “We’ll get you into a change of clothes, something nice and warm, then you’ll drink the potions I give you. Then…”

“I’ll look after him,” Jeremy said, his voice full of quiet determination.

“If you two are _quite_ finished organising my life for me?” Dorian said irritably. “I am perfectly capable of looking after myself.”

“I know you are,” Jeremy said. “But that’s not the point. You don’t _have_ to.”

“Give it up, Sparkles,” Varric said, sounding both sympathetic and amused. “I’ve seen this sort of thing before. You’re not going to win this argument. Better give up gracefully now and let them fuss.”

It was perhaps a measure of how sick Dorian actually was when his only response was to make an annoyed harrumphing sound as he slumped down in his saddle a little more. He sounded so much like a wet grumpy cat that Jeremy wanted to laugh. He refrained though. He suspected Dorian would not be amused by the comparison at all. And he was genuinely worried about the other man.

They picked up the pace a little and it wasn’t long before they were passing through the gates as the sun started to set. Stablehands emerged to take their horses and the others watched with open amusement as Jeremy and Vivienne hustled Dorian into the castle.

“My rooms,” Jeremy said quietly to Vivienne when they got inside. She nodded in reply and they headed for the door near the throne.

“We are going the wrong way,” Dorian said peevishly.

“No, we’re not,” Jeremy replied. “You’re staying with me.”

Faint amusement washed over him as he watched Dorian open his mouth and close it a few times as he struggled to find a response that wouldn’t make him look like an idiot. Jeremy and Vivienne used that time to hustle him through the door and up the stairs to Jeremy’s expansive room.

“Get him changed into something warm,” Vivienne said imperiously. “I’ll be back in a moment.”

She swept out of the room and Jeremy turned determinedly towards his lover.

“I am quite capable of undressing myself,” Dorian said. He looked like a child about to throw a temper tantrum.

“I know,” Jeremy said, cupping Dorian’s cheek with one hand. He could feel the unnatural warmth radiating off the other man. It worried him but he smiled cheekily nonetheless, not wanting Dorian to see his concern and use it as an excuse to flounce off. “But I like undressing you.”

Dorian gave a rather wan smile and tried to rally to something like his normal self. “Normally I’d give a rather enthusiastic hurrah to that but I’m afraid I’m… not really up to much tonight.”

“I know,” Jeremy said with a hint of exasperation. “You’re _sick_ , Dorian, and we’re trying to help you get _not_ sick. So maybe just… go along with it?”

Dorian sighed and stepped forward until he could rest his forehead on Jeremy’s shoulder. “I really don’t feel well,” he admitted plaintively.

Jeremy felt his heart melt a little and he pressed a kiss to Dorian’s hair. Then he grimaced because Dorian’s hair was greasy and lank. Which he’d admit was probably the same state his own hair was in.

“Come on,” he said. “Let’s get you changed. We both need a bath but that can wait until tomorrow, I think.”

He wrangled Dorian into a change of his own clothes with minimal complaints then nudged him into bed before getting changed himself. He had just pulled on his shirt when Vivienne came sailing up the stairs with a tray holding a couple of potion bottles and a goblet. She deposited the tray on the bedside table and picked up one of the bottles, pouring a small measure into the goblet.

“Drink this, my dear,” she said, offering the goblet to Dorian.

The Tevinter mage looked like he wanted to object but then he sighed and took the goblet, downing the contents in one gulp.

“Maker’s breath,” he gasped. “That’s horrible.”

“Yes, dear, I know,” Vivienne replied calmly. She poured a measure from the other bottle into the goblet and held it out. “Now drink this.”

“I’m not sure I want to,” Dorian replied but one look at Vivienne’s imperious expression had him downing the second dose with a grimace.

“Drink the same amount tomorrow morning,” she ordered. “And tomorrow evening if you’re still not feeling well.” She turned to Jeremy. “Now, both of you need to sleep so I will leave you to it.” She gave Jeremy an arch look of warning then sailed out of the room.

“I feel like I’ve just been ministered to by Empress Celene,” Dorian said with wan humour before breaking into a bout of coughing.

Jeremy quickly made sure the fires were well stoked and then closed all but one of the curtains. In the dim light, he made his way back to the bed and climbed in. Dorian immediately turned and curled up around him and Jeremy wrapped his arms around the other man in turn.

“I do hate being sick,” Dorian muttered.

“We all do, I think,” Jeremy replied.

“And I hate the Storm Coast.”

“I don’t think you’ll find anyone disagreeing with you right now.”

“The Western Approach was all sand and dirt in unmentionable places,” Dorian mumbled, already half asleep. “But that was infinitely preferable to the never ending _wet_.”

“Dorian,” Jeremy said with a smile. “Go to sleep. You can complain later.”

He got a sleepy incoherent mumble in return before Dorian relaxed against him in a way that told Jeremy that his lover actually had fallen asleep. He wondered how much of that was due to the illness and how much was due to Vivienne’s potions. Either way, he was grateful for it. Sleep was the best thing for Dorian right now.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cullen and his Cullenites at the masquerade never fail to make me snicker and apparently they make Jeremy and Dorian snicker too. Make sure you listen out for the advisor banter at the war table after the ball. Leliana’s last comment in that banter is priceless.

Jeremy had never been so glad to get back to Skyhold as he was after the masquerade ball at the Winter Palace. They’d achieved their aims in averting yet another piece of the horror future he and Dorian had experienced in Redcliffe Castle but Maker’s breath! Dealing with the Orlesian nobles and their Great Game had been _exhausting_. He’d much preferred the brief and violent scuffles they’d engaged in through the palace. At least he’d known what he was doing there.

Even worse had been the fact that he’d had to keep his distance – to a certain extent – from Dorian. There was enough muttering and wild rumours about their relationship around Skyhold and everyone there was at least an ally. As much as the Orlesian court enjoyed a scandal, openly revealing their relationship would likely not have gone down well and their mission there had been too important to jeopardise by scandalising the court to the point where they would not listen to him.

It had been difficult to keep his distance too. Everyone had looked good in the dress uniforms that Josephine and Vivienne had decided would be appropriate to convey the message they wished to get across about the Inquisition. But Dorian… Jeremy had struggled to take his eyes off the other man before they’d arrived at the Palace and only a few exasperated words from his diplomat had made him behave. Dorian had known it too and had made several highly amusing and highly inappropriate comments that had caused Jeremy – and Cullen and a few others who had been in earshot for that matter – to blush furiously. Varric, however, had just laughed wickedly.

So when he got back to his rooms, Jeremy felt more than justified in collapsing onto his bed with a sigh of relief. There were papers on his desk he needed to go through, they had to prepare for Morrigan’s arrival and there were undoubtedly a hundred things he needed to discuss with his advisors but he wanted to do precisely none of it.

“You looked awfully dashing in that uniform, amatus.”

Jeremy rolled his head to one side and saw Dorian leaning against balustrade at the top of the stairs. “So did you.”

“We _were_ quite the dashing pair, weren’t we?” Dorian said with a smirk as he sauntered over to the bed. “Though I fear we were both overshadowed by our dear Commander Cullen. The ladies and gentlemen of the court were enormously taken with him.”

Jeremy snickered. He’d noticed that and he’d noticed how uncomfortable all the attention had made Cullen. “Be nice.”

“Now where’s the fun in that?” Dorian said with a raised eyebrow. A smirk played over his lips and he seemed to come to some sort of decision. Jeremy quickly discovered what that decision was when Dorian climbed onto the bed and lounged beside him. “Of course, if you want to convince me otherwise?”

Jeremy smiled slowly and grabbed Dorian’s hand, tugging at him until the Tevinter mage was sprawled over the top of him.

“Well now, this _is_ a good start,” Dorian said. 

“I thought you’d like it.” Jeremy slid one hand through Dorian’s hair and pulled him down into a kiss. The other man came willingly and they kissed slowly and languidly, neither of them feeling the need to rush.

“You are _very_ convincing,” Dorian said a little breathlessly when they finally surfaced for air.

“This is just the beginning of my persuasive techniques,” Jeremy said, revelling a little in the smile he got in reply to that statement. Forget the Orlesian court, Dorian wore better masks on a daily basis than all of that lot put together, the careless, narcissistic, devil-may-care attitude being the biggest mask of all. But Jeremy got to see what was under the masks and while he loved that, it also broke his heart that Dorian had needed those masks to survive.

“Be still my beating heart,” Dorian said, concentrating more on getting Jeremy out of his shirt than anything else. “I may not survive.”

Jeremy laughed and rolled them over, grinning at Dorian’s outraged yelp. “But what a way to go.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Add one part Dorian and one part Iron Bull and you get hilarity. And innuendo.

“So, Vint, you and the boss, huh?”

Dorian was so startled he nearly fell off his seat, which given that he was perched on the battlements, tucked into one of the embrasures, was not the most comforting of thoughts. He’d come up here to read in the sunshine since the Frostback Mountains had deigned to give them a positively pleasant day. Certainly far too good a day to remain cooped up in the library.

“Maker’s breath, Bull!” He frowned at the huge Qunari. “How on earth do you do that?”

“Do what?”

Dorian waved a hand. “Sneak up on people. Surely you ought to lumber or thunder or something appropriately… large.”

Iron Bull grinned. “That’s why I learned to step lightly. So… you and the boss, eh?”

“Maker’s mercy,” Dorian muttered, rolling his eyes. “Have you come to join in the general tut-tutting and recriminations? Because if you have, I’ve heard it all already and I’m getting quite tired of the _evil Tevinter mage_ preaching.”

“Touchy.”

Dorian gave the Qunari a sour look. “I’d like just one day without having someone being concerned about my _undue influence_ over our noble leader.”

“Like that’s going to happen,” Bull said, looking amused. “Anyway, that’s not why I’m here.”

“Oh,” Dorian said, looking nonplussed and then rather suspicious. “So why _are_ you here then?”

Bull grinned. “What’s he like in bed? I’ll bet he’s a handful.”

Dorian spluttered and nearly dropped his book over the side of the battlements. “I _beg_ your pardon?”

“Come on,” Bull said with a hearty laugh. “What’s he like in bed? I bet you’ve been dying to tell someone who won’t get all scandalised.”

“I have _not_ ,” Dorian insisted, though now that he came to think of it, he wasn’t sure he really meant that. Though their relationship was common knowledge, he hadn’t really had anyone he could talk to about it, let alone do a little bragging.

“Bullshit,” the Qunari said cheerily.

“I… well, even if I have, what makes you think I’d want to talk about it with you?” Dorian spluttered.

“Who else?” Bull said, spreading his hands out. “Besides, not like I haven’t bedded my share of men.” He grinned. “Everyone likes to ride the Bull, Vint.”

Dorian was torn between laughing and being vaguely horrified by that idea then he settled on the side of amusement. If he was entirely honest with himself, he couldn’t say that he might not have taken up that kind of offer if Jeremy hadn’t been interested. Out of sheer curiosity, if nothing else. If _all_ of the Iron Bull was in proportion, that could have been one hell of a ride.

“Do you use that line often?” he said dryly.

“All the time,” Bull replied. He leaned against the battlements and grinned. “So?”

“I feel positively schoolboyish. Whispering salacious gossip behind the teacher’s back.”

“It’s not gossip if it’s true.”

“That’s a point,” Dorian said. He fell silent and a small, smug smile curved his lips. “What is Jeremy like in bed? Oh, he’s _delicious_.”

The Iron Bull’s booming laugh echoed over the battlements and the yard below, drawing a few curious glances from those outside. “I’ll bet he is. Is he a moaner or a screamer?”

“Oh, he’s a moaner,” Dorian replied with a little smirk. “And he makes this little whimper that is truly delightful. I can’t get enough of it.”

“Top or bottom?”

Dorian was surprised to find himself actually blushing a little at that question and he honestly couldn’t say whether it was the question itself – which would be surprising since he’d rarely been shy about sex – or the mental images this conversation was conjuring up. Come to think of it, probably the latter. And if it kept going, he wasn’t going to be walking down from here any time soon.

“Bit of both actually.”

“Ha! Good to hear. Never understood people who don’t want to try anything that might make you feel good.”

“That’s what I say,” Dorian replied. “Never deny yourself pleasure. It’s a crime.”

“What’s a crime?”

Dorian gave another start at that oh-so-familiar voice and this time might well have fallen from the battlements if Bull hadn’t grabbed him and steadied him.

“Ah… well,” he began, not entirely sure whether Jeremy would be entirely pleased that he’d been gossiping with Bull about the more intimate details of their relationship. However the decision about what to say was taken out of his hands.

“Not enjoying everything that sex has to offer,” Bull said with a grin. He headed towards the stairs down and thumped Jeremy on the shoulder as he passed by. “That doesn’t sound like a problem you and the Vint have though. Nice seeing you, boss.”

Jeremy waited until Bull was out of earshot and then raised an eyebrow at Dorian. The Tevinter mage found himself at a slight loss for words. A truly remarkable occurrence.

“Were you talking about what we do in the bedroom with Bull?” Jeremy asked and Dorian was entirely unable to read his expression.

“I… well, yes, I suppose I was.” He affected an innocent expression. “It was all good, I assure you.” He felt a wave of relief when he saw the smile twitching at Jeremy’s lips.

“You know we’re never going to hear the end of it now,” Jeremy said dryly.

“That did occur to me,” Dorian replied then he smirked. “Did you know there’s a way onto the upper battlements that the guards don’t know about? And it’s such a lovely day…” He let that sentence trail off with a raised eyebrow.

Jeremy smiled slowly and walked over to him. “I had noticed how nice it was today. Now what were you saying about the upper battlements?”

Dorian slid out of the embrasure he’d been sitting in, leaving his book behind. It left him standing barely an inch away from the other man.

“There’s a way up there,” he said, a smirk on his lips but a promise in his eyes. “The guards haven’t found it.”

“Shocking,” Jeremy murmured, his eyes fixed on Dorian’s lips. “We should go and have a look. Inspect the upper battlements. Things like that.”

“Oh, absolutely,” Dorian said, stepping away from his lover and smirking again when Jeremy swayed a little and looked startled at the sudden distance between them. “It’s this way.” He let his best lascivious look grow on his face. “Let’s give Bull something to _really_ talk about.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drunken shenanigans after dragon slaying. And the Iron Bull being the Iron Bull.

The mood in the tavern was jubilant and raucous, especially around the table where Jeremy sat with those of his friends who had felt like drinking to celebrate their defeat of their first dragon. Their mood had spilled over to the other inhabitants of the tavern and thus the barman was doing a roaring trade and was very pleased about that. Certainly pleased enough that he wasn’t inclined to complain about the knife stuck in the table and the fact that Sera was currently hanging from the rafters by her knees for reasons that made no sense to anyone but her.

“HA!” Bull bellowed drunkenly. “Did you see it when that big bastard hit the ground? We are the mighty dragon slayers! Too bad Corypheus wasn’t there to see it! He’d be pissing his pants.”

Jeremy laughed and leaned more heavily against Dorian. He’d been, somewhat stupidly, attempting to keep up with Bull in the drinking stakes and he was pleasantly drunk now.

“I don’t think he actually wears pants, Bull.”

“No breeches,” giggled Sera from the rafters.

“He was wearing this…” Jeremy waved his hands around in vague gestures, spilling some of the ale from his tankard on the table. “Robe… skirt… thing last time I saw him.”

“You say that so casually,” Varric said. “I think it’s disturbing.”

“You _think_ it’s disturbing?” Cassandra asked. There was just enough of a slur in her voice to let everyone know she was probably as close to drunk as she was ever going to get. Jeremy didn’t have the heart to tell her she’d just rested her elbow in a pool of spilled ale.

“I’m too drunk to make a definite assessment,” Varric replied then he grinned. “And so are you, Seeker.”

“I’m not drunk,” Cassandra said indignantly.

“You’re not sober either.”

“ _I_ think she’s drunk,” Dorian murmured into Jeremy’s ear. The Tevinter mage had shifted around so that he was straddling the bench they were sitting on and had pulled Jeremy close in to his body. He now had his chin resting on Jeremy’s shoulder, which made murmuring into his ear much easier. Their current position also made it much easier to slide a hand under Jeremy’s shirt and caress his stomach.

“I think she’s drunk too,” Jeremy replied. He blinked and grinned at Dorian as he became aware through the haze of alcohol of precisely where Dorian’s hand was. “Are you molesting me, Dorian?”

“I don’t think it counts as molestation if you like it, amatus,” Dorian replied wickedly. He’d had far less to drink than most of the others but just enough to be rather uncaring of his actions being seen.

“Good point.” Jeremy leaned further into Dorian, if that was even possible. “I think I’m drunk.”

Dorian laughed. “I think you’re very drunk. You’ve been keeping up with the Bull. That would be why.”

“Bull can hold his alcohol,” Jeremy said in that sage way that only drunk people can manage.

“That he can,” Dorian said as he let the hand that was under Jeremy’s shirt roam upwards so that he could brush his fingers over a nipple.

Jeremy drew in a sharp breath and bit his lip. “Dorian,” he said in a breathy voice.

“That is my name,” Dorian said with mock innocence as he continued with his actions. “Do continue, amatus. I await your words with anticipation.”

Jeremy bit off a groan and fumbled his tankard onto the table before he spilled what was left in it. “Maker, Dorian, we’re in the middle of the tavern.” He rested his forehead against Dorian’s and tried not to look like he was being felt up and enjoying it.

“I had noticed that. That’s what makes this so much _fun_.”

Dorian, mercifully, let his hand drift down to Jeremy’s stomach and rested it there before worming just the tips of his fingers under the waistband of his lover’s trousers.

“Andraste’s knickers! You two really can’t keep your hands off each other.”

Both Jeremy and Dorian gave a start at Varric’s amused and rather loud comment and they found themselves the subjects of a lot of very amused and startled looks. The momentary silence was broken by Bull’s booming laugh.

“Ha! I’d say it was the adrenaline but look at them!” Bull bellowed. “They’re both so pretty who wouldn’t want to fondle them at every opportunity if they were allowed to.”

Jeremy groaned and blushed scarlet as he buried his face in Dorian’s neck. On his part, Dorian was just trying not to laugh.

“What?” he said with a grin and a mock-innocent look on his face. “I can hardly disagree with Bull. We are both _very_ pretty and that does make it terribly hard to not want to touch.” He smirked smugly. “Especially as _I_ am allowed to touch. Which none of you are.”

“Dorian,” Jeremy ground out though there was a shimmer of laughter on the edges of his voice that indicated he wasn’t too upset. “You’re not helping.” 

“Oh, I’m sorry. Was I meant to be?” He held out one hand in an imperious gesture. “Avert your eyes, all of you.”

Now Jeremy raised his head and he was laughing helplessly when he did. “You are all horrible, terrible people and I hate you.”

“Of course you do,” Cassandra said soothingly as she patted his arm.

“You should take him back to your room and pound him into the mattress,” Bull said expansively as he poured himself more ale from the jug on the table.

“Bull!” Cassandra said, looking faintly scandalised before they were all distracted by Sera falling onto the table, having lost her grip because she was giggling so much.

“I wonder which of us he was directing that to,” Dorian murmured in Jeremy’s ear as the others helped Sera.

“I don’t know but I’m all in favour of it,” Jeremy said, a heated look in his eyes.

Dorian’s eyes widened as lust jolted through him. “I have to agree.”

They barely spared a glance to the others as they extricated themselves from the bench and tables and each other and hurriedly left the tavern. The others didn’t even notice they were gone until they righted Sera and dumped her on a bench.

“Where’d they go?” Sera pouted.

“To follow my advice,” Bull said, pouring her a beer. “Because it was good advice.”

“Now there’s a mental image I didn’t want,” Cassandra muttered, grabbing the jug from the Qunari.

Varric gestured to her to fill his tankard. “For once, Seeker, I agree with you.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is basically a small spoiler for a part of the Fade section of Here Lies The Abyss. I'm not sure if I've got it right and I suspect I haven't but it got stuck in my head, mostly based on the fact that Dorian's little place in Skyhold is a cozy nook in the library where he's surrounded by great piles of books. And the fact that Dorian hides himself behind masks more than the Orlesians do.

Dorian had to admit that he rather liked the quiet days at Skyhold where they could sit and relax and not rush around various parts of Fereldan or Orlais getting into fights and worse. Days where he could just sit and read one of the myriad of books he’d found in the library that caught his interest. Days that were made better when Jeremy joined him, sitting on the floor, leaning against his legs as he read through paperwork or, if he was lucky and had some free time – a rarity for the Inquisitor – a book.

Today was one of those good days and Dorian dropped one hand down to run through Jeremy’s hair as the other man read a book. The library was quiet except for the cawing of Leliana’s birds above them and Dorian was extremely content.

The first indication he had that Jeremy hadn’t, in fact, been reading and had instead been lost in thought came when he heard a murmured, “Temptation.”

It seemed like a complete non-sequitur and it took a moment for Dorian to work out what had been occupying his lover’s thoughts. He winced and ran his hand through Jeremy’s hair, hoping that he might drop it but knowing from experience that wasn’t likely to happen.

“Why temptation?” came the quiet question.

Dorian sighed and wondered if he could get away with not answering that question. He probably could if he got indignant enough. Jeremy would drop it but the question would linger and fester. No, he was better off answering.

“You might have noticed that I am a very curious man.” He smiled thinly. “I like asking questions and I like finding answers even more. As you might imagine, if I was offered all the answers I could ever want, I would be mightily tempted, no matter who was offering those answers. Or even what was offering them.”

Jeremy shifted around so that he could look up at Dorian, one arm resting across the mage’s thighs. “Even if it was a demon?” he said with a frown.

Dorian gave him a rueful look. “I’d imagine I’d think twice under those circumstances but I confess… I could be tempted. I _would_ be tempted.” 

He gave a rather pained smile and caressed Jeremy’s cheek then tried to smooth away the frown lines on his forehead.

“I struggle not to give into the temptation of _knowing_ , Jeremy. Even when I am aware that knowing will cause me and even others pain. How do you think I found out about my father’s plans for me? He was being so secretive and furtive and I just had to _know_. Then I found his study door unlocked and the temptation was far too great for me to resist.” He closed his eyes. “You know what I found.”

“Dorian,” Jeremy said in a pained tone.

“I rather wish it was the other kind of temptation,” Dorian continued, ignoring Jeremy’s reaction for the moment. “I’m sure some of the others assumed it was the temptation of licentiousness and debauchery.” He opened his eyes and smiled a little ruefully. “I confess I’m not averse to a little licentiousness and debauchery but I’m a faithful person at heart. You needn’t fear I will cheat on you, amatus. I don’t think there’s a temptation in existence that could prompt me to do that.”

“Dorian,” Jeremy said again and when the Tevinter mage cupped his cheek with one hand, he leaned into the contact. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“It’s alright,” Dorian replied. “If it was on your mind, I’d rather you asked than let it fester.” He decided it was time for a change in pace lest they both end up moping and miserable. “Besides, it’s not like mine was anything like Varric’s. _Became his parents_. That made me endlessly curious about his family.”

Jeremy laughed softly and after a long look at Dorian, he allowed the diversion. “Same here. Maybe we should ask him.”

Dorian smiled. “Maybe we should but not today. I want to read this book.”

Jeremy returned the smile and turned around again, shifting his book to rest on his knees. This time Dorian was fairly sure he was actually reading it and he returned his hand to Jeremy’s hair, letting the soft strands slide through his fingers as he returned to his own book.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is essentially an homage to the Iron Bull romance and a certain incident that happens in that one. Why should Cullen and Josephine be denied what happens just because my Inquisitor is romancing Dorian instead? Or in other words, the Iron Bull made me do it.
> 
> Also this one kind of earns the Mature rating. :D

The howling of the wind outside drew Jeremy slowly out of the deep sleep he’d been in. He grumbled irritably to find himself awake though he certainly wasn’t inclined to move. Dorian was fast asleep on his stomach beside him and he hadn’t moved yet from where he was half-sprawled on top of his lover. He was warm and comfortable and was giving serious consideration to going back to sleep when the wild howl of the wind drew his attention.

He grumbled under his breath again and turned his head awkwardly to look towards the window. It was light enough to let him know that it must be morning but the howling snowstorm outside disguised what time it might actually be. It also put paid to the plans he’d had of heading to the Hissing Wastes that day. They’d been here long enough to know that storm like this was likely to last most of the day.

“Dear Maker, please tell me it is not actually morning yet.” Dorian’s voice was muffled by the pillow and his eyes were still firmly closed.

“I could but it’d be a lie,” Jeremy replied, pressing a kiss to Dorian’s bare shoulder. “There’s a snowstorm though.”

“Well, there goes everyone’s plans for the day,” Dorian mumbled in reply. “Let’s all just stay in bed.”

Jeremy made a contented sound and continued kissing his way along Dorian’s shoulders. “I can’t find any argument for that.”

“You’re certainly making a compelling argument in favour of it.” Dorian finally opened his eyes and smiled lazily. “Though I am already convinced.”

“I thought you might be.” Jeremy shifted off his lover reluctantly. “Turn over.”

“So pushy and demanding,” Dorian said though he obeyed quickly enough.

“You like me being pushy and demanding,” Jeremy replied with a chuckle that turned to a low moan as he settled himself on top of the other man and their burgeoning erections came in contact.

“I really, really do,” Dorian said breathlessly. He wrapped his arms around the other man then slid his hands down Jeremy’s back until he could grab his arse and pull him close as he rolled his hips up.

“Maker, Dorian,” Jeremy groaned, letting Dorian drive the slow inexorable rhythm of their movements. “Yeah… yes, that’s… that’s very good.”

“Very good?” Dorian said before nipping at Jeremy’s lips. “I think we can do better than very good.”

Jeremy laughed breathlessly and kissed the other man. The slow burn of the pleasure building within was driving him mad but as much he wanted to speed things up, they had so few opportunities to take things slowly and he wanted this more than he could say.

Neither of them heard the door open and the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs or the voices having a somewhat heated discussion. In fact, neither of them noticed anything until Cullen exclaimed, “Maker’s balls!”

That was followed by a feminine gasp and Josephine saying, “Oh! Goodness!”

The two men abruptly stilled and Jeremy let his forehead drop to Dorian’s shoulder with an embarrassed groan. He could feel his lover shaking underneath him and just knew Dorian was laughing silently.

“Inquisitor, I… we…”

“Cullen,” Jeremy said very, very firmly through gritted teeth. “Unless you are here to tell me that Corypheus is marching on Skyhold as we speak, it. Can. _Wait_.”

“I… yes, of course,” Cullen replied with a shimmer in his voice that told Jeremy without even having to look that the commander had gotten past his shock and was now heading towards amusement.

“Get _out_. Both of you,” he growled.

“Oh! Yes! Of course,” came Josephine’s still shocked but now slightly abstracted voice. “I should… stop… looking.”

There was a snort of laughter from Cullen and then the sound of footsteps walking away and the door opening and closing again. 

“Andraste’s _tits_ ,” Jeremy growled as he raised his head. As he’d suspected, Dorian was laughing silently, his face full of mirth. “It’s not funny, Dorian.”

“Oh, it absolutely is, amatus,” the Tevinter mage said warmly. “They’ll certainly be much more circumspect about disturbing us in the future.”

“Good,” Jeremy said, sounding disgruntled then he gave a yelp when a moment later he found himself on his back on the bed with Dorian looming over him.

“Now,” Dorian said with a wicked smirk. “Where were we?”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We know how Dorian's father reacted to knowing his son liked the company of men. So here's my head canon for how Jeremy's parents reacted. Sort of. It veered off in a more light-hearted direction than I initially intended.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. It's been a few days since I last added a chapter! I've been busy running through to the end of the main storyline with Jeremy so you'll likely get a few little snippets from later in the game as well soon enough. I'll put some spoiler warnings in the notes for those ones for those of you who may not have finished the game yet.

“Are your parents aware of what you are?”

Jeremy was jolted out of the half-aware doze of sated satisfaction that he’d been drifting in for the last half hour or so by the pensive question. Dorian had curled around him with his head resting on Jeremy’s shoulder and his hand was tracing abstract patterns on Jeremy’s stomach. 

“Which ‘what’ are you talking about?” he asked, wrapped his arm around his lover. “I think they’re well aware I’m the Inquisitor. It’s hard to miss that.”

“You do wear very shiny mage armour,” Dorian replied and Jeremy could hear the smile in his voice. “Only a blind man could miss that.”

Jeremy chuckled. “I like my shiny armour. It’s very… shiny.”

“You’re like a magpie. I half expect to walk in here and find the room strewn with baubles and trinkets.”

“This from the man who walks around dramatically baring one shoulder.” Jeremy deliberately ruffled Dorian’s hair and laughed when the other man yelped and slapped at his hand. 

“No, seriously… are my parents aware of what in particular?” he asked when they’d settled down again.

Dorian was silent for a moment, having gone back to tracing what Jeremy realised were rune patterns on his stomach. Finally the mage spoke.

“Are they aware that you prefer men?”

“Ah, that,” Jeremy said, slowly caressing Dorian’s back and shoulders. He could feel the tension in his lover’s muscles. “Yes, they are.”

“And they’re… quite alright with that?” Dorian asked, sounding wary.

“They didn’t have much choice,” Jeremy replied dryly.

“Yes, well, my father didn’t have much choice and look what he did,” Dorian said with a distinct edge of bitterness in his voice that didn’t surprise Jeremy. There may have been a measure of reconciliation between Dorian and his father but that kind of hurt would take time to truly heal, if it ever did.

“Relationships between men are more acceptable in Ostwick,” Jeremy said, running his hand through Dorian’s hair. “I suppose it also helped that I’m the youngest son and a mage.” He sighed. “I’ll admit there may have been more in the way of arguments if I’d been the eldest and not a mage.”

Dorian shifted so that he could look at Jeremy. “So, they just _accepted_ it? Just like that?”

Jeremy looked faintly amused. “I didn’t say that. I said they didn’t have much choice. I didn’t _give_ them much choice.” He brushed his fingers along Dorian’s cheek. “Admittedly this was all complicated by the fact that I was a mage. Not that my mother seemed to think that was much of an impediment to her dynastic planning.”

Dorian raised an eyebrow. “She was going to marry you off?”

“She was going to marry us all off,” Jeremy replied dryly. “Planning potential matches was her favourite pastime.”

“And here I thought that sort of obsession was reserved for Tevinter.” Dorian raised an eyebrow. “How did she greet your lack of enthusiasm for the whole idea?” He paused and frowned. “And would you even have been allowed to marry? Being a Circle mage and all?”

“Oh yes, I could have married,” Jeremy replied. “It’s not forbidden, though it’s not exactly encouraged either.”

“No wonder you all rebelled.” Dorian snorted. “The Circle policies seem very counterproductive.”

“I found them useful at the time. Good way to stymie my mother. For a little while at least.”

“Did you tell her?”

“Oh yes.” Jeremy grinned at the memory. “I’d more or less figured it all out by the time I was fourteen and I announced it to her when I was home. She’d been talking about throwing a ball and was pestering me with all these names of girls.”

“How did she take it?” Dorian had shifted so that he was now lying on his stomach with his arms crossed on Jeremy’s stomach. He was resting his chin on his arms and looked far more relaxed.

“Not particularly well,” Jeremy admitted ruefully. “She thought I was being rebellious or going through a phase or something. For the next couple of years, every time I came home, she’d throw all these pretty girls at me in the hopes I’d… I don’t know. Change my mind or something.”

Dorian smirked. “So what did you do? Ah! No, don’t deny it. I know you well enough by now to know that you did something scandalous.”

Jeremy laughed and blushed a little. “You know me too well.”

“I know.” Dorian waggled his eyebrows. “I know you _very_ well.”

“Lech,” Jeremy said teasingly.

“Oh, _absolutely_. Is there any other way to be?”

Jeremy laughed then continued, “Well, you’re right. I did something scandalous.”

Dorian gave him an expectant look. “Do tell.”

“I…” Jeremy’s blush deepened a little. “I kind of insulted one of those pretty girls she was throwing at me at a party at our house, knowing she’d go back to my mother to complain and that my mother would come and find me to scold me. And then I… made sure that when she found me I was with one of the pretty _boys_ who was at the party.”

Dorian roared with laughter and crawled up so that he could kiss Jeremy. “I _see_! And how did your mother react to the sight of her son _in flagrante delicto_ with a young man?”

Jeremy pulled Dorian into another kiss, one that lingered and became quite heated. When they finally broke apart, he pulled his lover into his arms.

“We weren’t… doing much,” he said with a laugh. “I was far too innocent at sixteen to be doing anything like that. We were just kissing.” He paused and grinned. “And maybe there were some hands in interesting places.”

Dorian’s expression was one of pure mischief. “You mean… like _this_?”

Jeremy groaned as Dorian’s hand wrapped around his cock. “Maker’s breath, Dorian. Do you want me to finish this story or not?”

“Multitask, amatus,” Dorian said as he began to slowly move his hand. “You’re usually very good at that.”

Jeremy swallowed and tried to remember where he’d been. His thoughts were, for some strange reason, suddenly somewhat scattered right now. “Fuck.”

“That comes later,” Dorian breathed into his ear. “If you’re good and finish the story.”

Jeremy made a sound that very much resembled a whimper. “Right… so… we were… kissing… and touching… ah! _Dorian_!”

Dorian chuckled, low and dark. “Keep going, amatus.”

Jeremy levelled a look at him that might have been a glare if his pupils hadn’t been blown wide and full of lust. “Mother came in and… oh, Maker, yeah, like that… and screamed.” He gasped and writhed under Dorian’s expert touch. “Which… which brought… Father and my brothers running.”

“My, my,” Dorian purred. “Perhaps a little more attention than you anticipated?”

“Uhuh.” He pulled Dorian into a kiss but the Tevinter mage didn’t let it linger. Jeremy made a disgruntled noise in response.

“You haven’t finished yet, amatus.”

Jeremy growled as his control broke and in a lightning quick move, he had Dorian on his back. The other man did not look overly concerned by the change. In fact, he looked downright pleased.

“There was lots of yelling and scolding and… and laughing on the part of my brothers,” Jeremy said very firmly. “My mother wept and wailed, my father accepted the whole thing with really quite commendable grace and the very mortified young man I was with refused to speak to me for months afterward. Now… are you happy?”

“Delirious,” Dorian replied, smirking. He raised an eyebrow. “Are you going to follow through on your little display of dominance or am I going to have to take charge again?”

“I should leave you here and go and take care of my problem on my own,” Jeremy growled.

“Possibly. I was so terribly cruel after all,” Dorian said with a look of mock innocence. “But we both know you won’t.”

Jeremy was still for a moment then he smiled. “No, I won’t.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one is set during Dorian's personal quest "The Magister's Birthright" so be warned there are spoilers for that!

“Inquisitor? A word, if I may.”

Jeremy turned and looked at Josephine curiously. Cullen and Leliana had already left the war room. He’d been reviewing the current situation and hoping like hell he’d made the right decisions and hadn’t noticed that their ambassador had lingered.

“Of course,” he said. “How can I help you? I hope I haven’t done anything wrong.”

Josephine smiled. “Not at all. I simply wished to inform you that our negotiations on behalf of the merchant Ponchard de Lieux have been successful. Since it was a… personal matter, I felt it was better to leave it until after the meeting had finished.” She held out a small wrapped package. “He sent this for you.”

Jeremy drew in a breath and managed to take the package in a decorous manner instead of snatching it out of her hands, which was his first instinct. Once again he could only marvel at Josephine’s skill. He hadn’t been entirely sure that she’d be able to get that bloody merchant what he wanted and as much as he’d disliked being used, he’d wanted it to succeed. For Dorian’s sake.

“Thank you, Josephine,” he said. “This is… this means a lot.”

“I am sure Dorian will be very pleased,” Josephine said with a small indulgent smile.

Jeremy’s good mood suddenly deflated. “I hope so.”

“Why would he not?” Josephine said with surprise. “Leliana tells me he has been trying to obtain the amulet for some time.”

“He told me to stay out of it,” Jeremy replied. “He was very firm about it.”

“Ah, I see,” Josephine said with some understanding. It was one of the things Jeremy liked about her. You generally _didn’t_ have to explain things. She had such a good understanding of people that she could make the appropriate leap for herself and generally get it right. “Then I hope that _having_ the amulet will be enough for him to overlook _how_ it got to him.”

“So do I,” Jeremy said ruefully. He decided to head up to the library right away. If he was going to be yelled at, he might as well get it over with right now. That would make it easier to start working on the making up side of things. “Thank you, Josephine. I don’t mean to waste your time with personal matters but this one…”

The ambassador patted him on the arm and smiled. “It was my pleasure, Jeremy. It was hardly an onerous task and… worthwhile to keep you and Dorian happy.”

He watched her leave and then squared his shoulders. Time to beard the lion in his den.

******

Jeremy wandered out onto the battlements and leaned against them. He looked down at the activity in the courtyard and sighed with relief. That had gone better than he’d expected. As he’d thought, Dorian had not been pleased that he’d gone behind his back to obtain the amulet but he’d seemed pleased in the end. The part that had Jeremy so pensive was the whole bit about owing him something. He hadn’t done it to be owed a favour. He’d done it because he cared for Dorian and had wanted to help.

“You’ll make the soldiers nervous, glaring down at them from on high.”

Jeremy gave a start and turned to see Leliana standing behind him. “I wasn’t glaring. I was just… thinking.”

Leliana moved to stand beside him. “Very glary thinking it was,” she said with a hint of mischief.

Jeremy sighed. “You heard then.” It wasn’t a question.

“You forget where I am,” Leliana said with a silvery laugh. “I heard. I saw. Dorian was most grateful for your actions.”

Jeremy refused to blush. “ _After_ he’d yelled at me.”

“He did not yell at you,” Leliana replied, looking amused. “You startled him. Though why, I don’t know. Surely he must have realised you wouldn’t let something like that lie.”

“I’d do the same for any of my friends.”

“You are a generous man who expects nothing in return for his acts of kindness for his friends.” Leliana tilted her head to one side. “It seems to me that Dorian has very little experience with people like that.”

Jeremy looked over at her with surprise. That… actually made a lot of sense and explained a good deal about Dorian’s reaction. 

“Is he right? About what people say about him and about us?”

“People always talk,” Leliana replied with an artful shrug. “Lacking information, they will come up with speculation and treat it like the truth.”

Jeremy raised an eyebrow at her. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“I was hoping you wouldn’t notice that,” Leliana said with an impish smile. She sobered. “Yes, there is gossip and rumour but there is as much gossip and rumour about everyone else here as there is about you and Dorian.”

Jeremy frowned. “Do they really think Dorian’s trying to… _influence_ me or something? After everything he’s done?”

“They do not know much of what he has done for the Inquisition,” Leliana replied. “He accompanies you and he passes information to me and to Josephine. We know what he has done and what he is likely to do in the future. They do not see that.” She paused then continued delicately. “And he is from Tevinter. He starts out in a position of disadvantage for that alone.”

“And there’s nothing I can do, right?” Jeremy said glumly. “That’s what you’re going to tell me next.”

Leliana’s smile was sympathetic. “People will always gossip. It’s human nature. If we tried to put a stop to the gossip and rumour that currently exists, it would only lead to the creation of more outlandish rumours in their place. We can, if you wish, see that more information about the good that Dorian has done is made public.”

“Will it help?”

Leliana gave the question the serious consideration it deserved. “Perhaps. Leave it with me, Inquisitor. I’ll see what I can do.”

Jeremy smiled a little. “Thank you.” He hesitated then forged forward. “Leliana? Are you… that is, do you approve?”

“It is hardly my place to either approve or disapprove,” Leliana said, looking amused. “But since you ask, I do approve. I wasn’t sure what to make of Dorian at first. I wondered whether he might be a Venatori spy and investigated accordingly. But all I found is that… he is what he claims to be.” That impish smile appeared again. “And he is good for you as much as you are good for him.”

Jeremy blushed and ducked his head a little. “I… thank you.” A tiny grin appeared as he looked at her again. “And here I thought I might scandalise the Chantry sister.”

Leliana’s laugh was a beautiful thing. “It would take much more than a few kisses in the library to scandalise this Chantry sister, Inquisitor. Perhaps one day I will tell you my history but not today.” She nodded to him and turned back towards the main building. She had almost reached the door when her voice floated back to him. “Besides, you do look so pretty together. No one, not even the Chantry, should stop that.”

Jeremy could do little more than laugh.

*****

A rather pressing need to relieve himself woke Jeremy in the night but he found himself rather loathe to actually move. Dorian was pressed close behind him, one arm wrapped around him and he could feel the other man’s soft breath on his shoulder. He felt warm and comfortable and very happy. He hadn’t expected the evening to take the turn it did when he’d headed back to take care of some of the paperwork that was sitting on his desk but he certainly wasn’t going to argue with it.

Finally he sighed and wormed his way out of Dorian’s embrace. The room was punishingly cold and he didn’t linger any longer than he had to. When he got back to the bed, he found that Dorian was awake… or perhaps half-awake might be a better description.

“Your room is delightful but also ridiculously cold,” the mage muttered sleepily.

Jeremy crawled back under the covers. “I know. I usually set the fire a bit better before I go to bed but for some reason I was a bit distracted tonight.”

Dorian pulled him close and then shivered dramatically. “I trust you are suitably grateful for this. _You_ are freezing.”

“And you’re _warm_ ,” Jeremy replied, wrapping himself as much as he could around the other man, ignoring Dorian’s murmured complaints. Given that Dorian was encouraging him closer, he couldn’t take them seriously.

“This is disgracefully domestic.”

Jeremy gave a satisfied sigh. He and Dorian were almost nose to nose and he took the opportunity to kiss the other man. “Terrible, isn’t it?”

“Awful,” Dorian replied though the expression on his face gave the lie to that.

“Dorian,” Jeremy said before he could fall asleep again. “You don’t really think you owe me anything for getting that amulet back, do you?”

“Ugh, you’re one of these people that likes having late night heart to hearts.” Dorian pouted a little.

“No, not really,” Jeremy replied. “But this… you don’t owe me anything.”

Dorian was silent for a long time and since his eyes were closed, Jeremy began to wonder if he’d fallen asleep. But then his eyes opened and he sighed dramatically.

“I feel as if I do. I had begun to wonder if I would ever be able to get the amulet back. That wretched merchant kept asking for your assistance and I… did not want you to think that I was using you.” He frowned. “How did you find out anyway?”

Jeremy looked amused. “Leliana. How else?”

“Ah, yes, our tricky spymaster. Or is it spymistress? I sometimes forget she’s up there.” He rested his forehead against Jeremy’s. “That little jaunt you took without me. That’s when you went to Val Royeaux, isn’t it? You distracted me quite effectively.”

Jeremy nodded. “Yep. And you aren’t using me. I don’t think that. How could I? You asked me to stay out of it. I’m the one who chose not to listen to that, even though I knew you might not be too happy with me.”

“I am grateful. You know that, don’t you?” Dorian said. “I know I was a bit of an ass about it.”

“I sort of figured that out when you kissed me.” Jeremy grinned. “Leliana thought we were very pretty.”

Dorian’s eyes widened then he laughed. “She was watching, was she? The minx. I’ll remember that.”

Jeremy laughed softly and then kissed Dorian. “Just make sure I’m there when you do decide to use that information. I want to hear her response. I give even odds she makes even you blush.”

Dorian settled down more comfortably and closed his eyes. “I refuse to even acknowledge that last comment. Go to sleep, impertinent man.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh wow. It's been a while since I updated this. Sorry, everyone. You know how it is - Christmas, New Year, holidays, going back to work. To quote Cassandra: "Ugh"
> 
> Anyway, here is a new chapter in which Jeremy really hates despair demons.

Jeremy hated despair demons. He really did. He really, _really_ did. Those little old women looking things that whizzed around the battlefield and flung ice everywhere drove him crazy at the best of times. But he hated them more when they appeared with pride demons. Like now. Because they had a tendency to distract him from the pride demons and the pride demons could move remarkably fast and stealthily for such large hulking things – or maybe that was just the distraction – and that’s when things tend to go south very quickly.

“ _Jeremy_!”

He heard the warning cry from Dorian and whirled around just in time to see the pride demon’s fists coming down towards him. A sudden hum told him that Dorian had managed to cast a barrier around him but that only softened the blow, it didn’t stop it.

He cried out in pain as the pride demon smashed him to the ground then Cassandra was there, her battle cries taunting the demon and drawing its attention away from its prey. He heard the deep kachunk of Varric’s crossbow firing at what seemed an almost impossible rate then Dorian was there, dragging him clear. The Tevinter mage stood over him, casting spell after spell at the pride demon until it finally succumbed and was dragged back through the rift.

“Help… help me… up,” Jeremy gasped, trying to sit up.

“Are you mad?” Dorian said, staring at him with disbelief.

“Got to… close the rift.”

Dorian stared at him for a moment then shook his head and pulled Jeremy’s arm over his shoulders, gently raising him to his feet.

“Dorian! What are you doing?” Cassandra demanded as she hurried over.

“Gotta… close the rift… Cass,” Jeremy said, sagging against Dorian and gasping in pain.

Cassandra stared at him mutely then hurried forward to help, her concern obvious in the way she didn’t object to the nickname. Between the two of them they got Jeremy within range then braced him as he raised his hand and did what only he could do. Once the rift was closed, Jeremy sagged against Dorian again, almost whimpering with pain. The other mage carefully lowered him to the ground again and propped him up against him.

“Here, Sparkler,” came Varric’s voice and Dorian looked up to find the dwarf offering him one of their meagre supply of healing potions.

“Jeremy, drink this,” Dorian said, uncorking the bottle and holding it to the mage’s lips. Jeremy drank obediently but couldn’t help the grimace at the taste.

The potion worked immediately and they saw the signs of pain start to fade. It was a stopgap measure really but it would heal enough to allow them to get away from here.

Jeremy was still leaning against Dorian but it was now more in weariness than pain. “I hate despair demons.”

“Uh, hate to rain on your parade, Inquisitor, but that was a pride demon that got you,” Varric replied, looking suddenly worried.

“Only because the despair demon distracted me,” Jeremy said, his voice slurring a little. “Stupid, creepy old woman things.”

“Right,” Varric said dryly. “I think it’s time to get him back to camp.”

Dorian and Cassandra got Jeremy to his feet and they helped him back to the Inquisition camp where they lowered him to a bedroll on one of the tents. Cassandra left them then and Dorian began pulling at the fastenings on Jeremy’s armour.

“I’m not sure now is really the time or place, Dorian,” Jeremy said, sounding almost drunk. “Everyone is just outside.”

“Do you really think that would stop me?” Dorian said but his voice held none of the usual teasing tone that should accompany that statement. Instead it was flat and harsh.

He managed to get the top of Jeremy’s armour undone and pulled it open. He plunged his hands inside and began running them down Jeremy’s chest, pressing gently as he tried to determine if there were any deeper injuries that the potion hadn’t dealt with.

“Mmm, feels good,” Jeremy said, shifting closer to Dorian.

“It would feel even better if you managed to stay out of the way of pride demons,” Dorian snapped.

Jeremy pouted. “You’re angry with me.”

Dorian glared at him. “Yes!”

Jeremy reeled a little and tried to curl in on himself like a pill bug. Dorian sighed with exasperation and pulled him close.

“Idiot,” Dorian breathed, pressing a kiss to Jeremy’s temple. “You nearly got killed today.”

“’M sorry,” Jeremy slurred. “Didn’t mean to.”

Dorian let out his breath in a long sigh. As he did, the tent curtain opened and Cassandra looked in. She held out a bottle to Dorian and he took it with a nod of thanks.

He uncorked the bottle and held it to Jeremy’s lips. “Drink this.”

Jeremy wrinkled his nose. “Don’t want to.”

“Yes, well, I don’t want you bleeding to death internally in the middle of the night,” Dorian said with exasperation. “So you’ll drink it.”

Jeremy frowned, trying to draw together his scattered thoughts. “I’m not _that_ injured.”

“We don’t know that,” Dorian snapped.

Jeremy leaned against Dorian a bit more and obediently drank the potion. He grimaced at the taste and then sighed with relief as he felt something ease inside his chest and his mind began to clear. He looked up at Dorian, who was staring at the wall of the tent with a blank expression. However when his lover looked down, he could see the horror and fear in Dorian’s eyes.

“Hey,” Jeremy whispered, bringing one hand up to brush Dorian’s cheek. “I’m okay.”

Dorian drew in a sharp breath and then let it out in a shuddering rush. He dropped his head until their foreheads met. “Jeremy…”

“I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Yes, well…” Dorian broke off and swallowed. “I’d rather not lose you now that I actually have you. It’s bad form. People might actually start to believe all those rumours about me.”

“We can’t have that,” Jeremy replied. He raised his head and pressed their lips together in a gentle kiss.

Dorian shuddered and gently wrapped himself around his lover as he leaned into the kiss. He’d been halfway through casting another spell when he’d seen the pride demon about to smash Jeremy to the ground. He’d somehow managed to abort that spell and cast a barrier over Jeremy, though his teeth still ached from that particular stunt. But he’d take aching teeth over an injured or dead Jeremy any day.

Neither of them heard the tent flap open and it wasn’t until Varric chuckled that they broke apart. “If you two lovebirds are ready to go, we thought we’d head back to Skyhold.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And have another chapter for good measure. I should be able to reply to comments in the next day or two for those who have left them.
> 
> This one is set after the trip to the Temple of Mythal, which Jeremy took Solas to the ancient elven temple full of tempting, tempting knowledge instead of Dorian.

Jeremy walked into his rooms to find Dorian already there, pacing in an agitated manner. It certainly wasn’t unusual to find Dorian in his rooms but the pacing was something new. He set down the report he’d been carrying on the couch and walked over to lean against his desk.

“Any particular reason you’re trying to wear a hole in my carpet?”

Dorian frowned but did, at least, stop pacing. “The Well of Sorrows. All the accumulated knowledge of the ancient elves and you just… turned it down? Handed it over to the witch?”

Jeremy had been expecting some sort of minor confrontation about the whole affair at Mythal’s temple but he’d more been expecting some recriminations about the fact that he’d left Dorian to help the army and taken Solas with him instead. He’d lined up several very good reasons for that but they were apparently not going to be needed.

“Knowledge that came with a price,” he pointed out. “Eternal servitude to Mythal.”

“Who may not even exist,” Dorian countered.

That was a point that he couldn’t really argue so he changed tack. “Have you spoken to Morrigan since we got back?”

Dorian frowned. “No. What has that got to do with anything?”

“She’s a little… different. Not bad different just… different,” Jeremy replied. “I’m actually quite glad I didn’t drink from the Well of Sorrows. I like myself just the way I am.”

“But all that knowledge!”

Jeremy pushed himself off the desk and walked over to Dorian with a small smile. He put his hands on the other man’s hips and pulled him close. “Knowledge is your temptation, not mine.”

Dorian sighed and relaxed against Jeremy. “Yes, it is.”

“Would you _really_ want me to have done that?” Jeremy asked as he played with the straps and buckles of Dorian’s clothes. “Abelas was quite up front about the price, you know.”

Dorian winced. “I… perhaps not.” He arched an eyebrow. “But I wasn’t _there_ , was I?”

And there it was, the argument Jeremy had been waiting for. 

“We had to keep numbers small so we could move fast and I thought it might be useful having Solas along when I was going into an ancient elven temple.”

“Oh yes, use the expertise argument against me,” Dorian replied with a roll of his eyes.

Jeremy could see right from the outset that this was going to be one of _those_ arguments. One that didn’t make sense, jumped around ridiculously and didn’t really have a point. It wasn’t the first time this had happened. Dorian didn’t really like to admit when he was worried or scared and having been out with the troops, he’d undoubtedly seen both Corypheus and his archdemon… _and_ Samson… heading for the temple so he had likely been both of those things and more. So instead of actually admitting he was worried and scared, he instigated one of these arguments that wasn’t really an argument and they went round in circles until one or both of them stormed off. Then there were the apologies and making up and as fun as _that_ part could be, Jeremy was really more inclined to derail this argument before it could go any further and by now he knew the best way to derail arguments with Dorian.

Thankfully he also had ample experience with Dorian’s chosen attire and he went to work on the ties and buckles with a fair amount of intent. “I quite like your expertise.”

Dorian was watching him with a certain amount of exasperation. “What _are_ you doing?”

Jeremy grinned at him. “Distracting you. This argument is pointless. I didn’t drink from the Well. I know you got worried because Corypheus and all his pets descended on us. I don’t want to spend the next couple of hours arguing about nothing.” He raised his eyebrows. “I thought we could just skip straight ahead to the making up part.”

Jeremy spared a moment to grin at the play of emotions that ran across Dorian’s face before he went back to the task at hand. It was the work of only a few moments to strip off Dorian’s top and then he ran his hands up the other man’s newly revealed chest.

“I… well… it’s working,” Dorian said. He sounded both very interested and slightly miffed.

Jeremy slid his hand up around the back of Dorian’s head and gently pulled him into a kiss. The other man went willingly and the kiss quickly turned heated.

“It’s _definitely_ working,” Dorian said when they broke apart. His hands were now busy on Jeremy’s clothes.

“Good,” Jeremy replied and he turned his attention to the fastenings of Dorian’s breeches. It was the work of only a few seconds to undo them and then he slid his hand into Dorian’s pants and wrapped it around his cock.

“ _A… Amatus_ ,” Dorian moaned, clutching at Jeremy’s shoulders as his knees wobbled. He buried his face in his lover’s neck, pressing a kiss there before raising it again. “Oh… yes, like that… ugh, alright, yes, yes, you made the right choice with the well and I don’t mind at all being left behind to guard ungrateful soldiers.” He moaned and his hips bucked as Jeremy began to slowly drag his hand up and down. “You are a terrible cheat at arguments.”

Jeremy chuckled and began to move them slowly towards the bed, his hand never leaving Dorian’s cock. “You love it.”


End file.
